Jarhead
• Jarhead
I have a pit in my stomach when trying to write about this. I don't want to bore you, but I was raised a Military Brat. Though my father was not a Marine, I still have that, "God, Guns, and Glory", mentality. All that said, in a day in age where we are desensitized to violence and conflict, I can with a sick pride say, "I like war". I like war. And guns, and strategy, and War Movies. Praise the Lord and pass the Ammunition.
Thinking back, I haven't seen a lot of war movies. Apocalypse Now, Full-Metal Jacket, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Top Gun, and Good Morning Vietnam, are the ones I can think of off hand (there might be a few more). I guess that might be a lot, I still need to see We Were Soldiers.
Something inside me told me that this would be a slightly modern version of Full Metal Jacket, only set in Desert Storm. Thankfully I was wrong. Though this movie does have a few moments where the Marines involved start to "crack", it is not full of such insanities. There is also no, "Love you long time", though the Wives and Girlfriends of the Marines in this movie get an understandable bad-wrap. All in all it was very refreshing to see a War Movie while we are at War.
That said, I cannot say that this was a moral boosting movie. I hate any movie that tries to portray any facet of our military in a negative light. Some movies do their worst to shove it in your face and say, "See this? This is our military. Arnen't you ashamed that America has a Military and that THIS is what it is like?". This movie again, did very little, if not any, of -that-. Inversely however, there is little in this movie to get you into that, "God, Guns and Glory", spirit. I did enjoy when they made reference to the, "Righteous, Hammer-of-God", and the fact that the two main characters were trained up to be Snipers (thinks back to his fun times playing Rainbow Six and Counter Strike). When they mentioned the, "Pink Mist", and how they yearned for it, I could quasi-relate. Sadly, we never see one of those moments in this movie.
It has to be said, this is not an Action Movie. If anything this is a Fictional Documentary based on real events. There are only two real casualties. The first is in the first quarter of the movie and, for the most part, not related to War. This speculates on what -may- have happened during Desert Storm, but nails the ambiance and frustration of what it was -actually- like to be a Marine, "Over There". Furthermore, in true Jarhead fashion, they are there to kick ass and take names. There is very little questioning as to WHY they are there. This movie again is a Fictional Documentary, not Political Commentary.
There characters are real. Not too much older than I, with real fears, dreams, and ambitions. The two main characters have an awkward bond, as they are a -team- of snipers; they are each other's eyes and ears. I don't want to spoil too much, but I can say that, if you like character development and believability you will not be disappointed.
Once you get it in your head that is is -not- an action flick you will appreciate how this film sits on the fence constantly. You are baited with -possible- action yet you never get to feed. That said, there is no unnecessary violence in this film. That will disappoint some of you, but truly it is here to tell a story not bathe you in the blood of thine enemy. What is hard to overcome is the -lack- of violence, or action. There is plenty of swearing, and nudity, but that is it. Sadly the biggest bombs dropped in this film were F-Bombs.
Which leads me to my next point. Due to a lack of Climax, this movie's running time feels slightly unjustified. It does tell a story, a good story, and tell it in a compelling fashion; but in taking nearly two hours to do so, there are moments when you are wondering when you will get so see some -Action-. You won't.
Critics have said that this is, "a war film without any war". That is rubbish. There is plenty of War, just no Action. There characters are in the middle of the War but are continually jipped out of engagements and possible kills. This does in some ways let the air out of this movie's tires.
The movie opens and closes with this dialog, with subtle variations in each...
There is a story:
A man fires a rifle. The man goes to war.
The man shoots the rifle some more. The man comes back.
And no matter what he may do with his hands...build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper, his hands still remember the rifle.
I almost don't feel right giving this a 3 / 5, but to be honest, I cannot think of anything worse than I have. So to be fair, it earned it. If you don't wanna see it in the big theater I am sure it will hit the $2 movies real soon. Otherwise, if you do like movies about war, but with little-to-no -Action-, you may want to see this. At least see it when it comes to DVD.
I give it an, "Oorah!", and a 3 outta Five.
Wartime War-Movie: +1
Not Full of Politics: +1
Characters are Multifaceted: +1
Story is Believable: +1
No Unnecessary Violence: +1
Unjustified Running Time (155min): -1
Continually Robbed of Action Thrill: -1
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
I know I reviewd this, but I just want to say. It is only -just- as good the second time around. Sometime with good movies you notice somehting compelling the second time around. I however did not. Not this time, not with this movie.
I have a pit in my stomach when trying to write about this. I don't want to bore you, but I was raised a Military Brat. Though my father was not a Marine, I still have that, "God, Guns, and Glory", mentality. All that said, in a day in age where we are desensitized to violence and conflict, I can with a sick pride say, "I like war". I like war. And guns, and strategy, and War Movies. Praise the Lord and pass the Ammunition.
Thinking back, I haven't seen a lot of war movies. Apocalypse Now, Full-Metal Jacket, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Top Gun, and Good Morning Vietnam, are the ones I can think of off hand (there might be a few more). I guess that might be a lot, I still need to see We Were Soldiers.
Something inside me told me that this would be a slightly modern version of Full Metal Jacket, only set in Desert Storm. Thankfully I was wrong. Though this movie does have a few moments where the Marines involved start to "crack", it is not full of such insanities. There is also no, "Love you long time", though the Wives and Girlfriends of the Marines in this movie get an understandable bad-wrap. All in all it was very refreshing to see a War Movie while we are at War.
That said, I cannot say that this was a moral boosting movie. I hate any movie that tries to portray any facet of our military in a negative light. Some movies do their worst to shove it in your face and say, "See this? This is our military. Arnen't you ashamed that America has a Military and that THIS is what it is like?". This movie again, did very little, if not any, of -that-. Inversely however, there is little in this movie to get you into that, "God, Guns and Glory", spirit. I did enjoy when they made reference to the, "Righteous, Hammer-of-God", and the fact that the two main characters were trained up to be Snipers (thinks back to his fun times playing Rainbow Six and Counter Strike). When they mentioned the, "Pink Mist", and how they yearned for it, I could quasi-relate. Sadly, we never see one of those moments in this movie.
It has to be said, this is not an Action Movie. If anything this is a Fictional Documentary based on real events. There are only two real casualties. The first is in the first quarter of the movie and, for the most part, not related to War. This speculates on what -may- have happened during Desert Storm, but nails the ambiance and frustration of what it was -actually- like to be a Marine, "Over There". Furthermore, in true Jarhead fashion, they are there to kick ass and take names. There is very little questioning as to WHY they are there. This movie again is a Fictional Documentary, not Political Commentary.
There characters are real. Not too much older than I, with real fears, dreams, and ambitions. The two main characters have an awkward bond, as they are a -team- of snipers; they are each other's eyes and ears. I don't want to spoil too much, but I can say that, if you like character development and believability you will not be disappointed.
Once you get it in your head that is is -not- an action flick you will appreciate how this film sits on the fence constantly. You are baited with -possible- action yet you never get to feed. That said, there is no unnecessary violence in this film. That will disappoint some of you, but truly it is here to tell a story not bathe you in the blood of thine enemy. What is hard to overcome is the -lack- of violence, or action. There is plenty of swearing, and nudity, but that is it. Sadly the biggest bombs dropped in this film were F-Bombs.
Which leads me to my next point. Due to a lack of Climax, this movie's running time feels slightly unjustified. It does tell a story, a good story, and tell it in a compelling fashion; but in taking nearly two hours to do so, there are moments when you are wondering when you will get so see some -Action-. You won't.
Critics have said that this is, "a war film without any war". That is rubbish. There is plenty of War, just no Action. There characters are in the middle of the War but are continually jipped out of engagements and possible kills. This does in some ways let the air out of this movie's tires.
The movie opens and closes with this dialog, with subtle variations in each...
There is a story:
A man fires a rifle. The man goes to war.
The man shoots the rifle some more. The man comes back.
And no matter what he may do with his hands...build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper, his hands still remember the rifle.
I almost don't feel right giving this a 3 / 5, but to be honest, I cannot think of anything worse than I have. So to be fair, it earned it. If you don't wanna see it in the big theater I am sure it will hit the $2 movies real soon. Otherwise, if you do like movies about war, but with little-to-no -Action-, you may want to see this. At least see it when it comes to DVD.
I give it an, "Oorah!", and a 3 outta Five.
Wartime War-Movie: +1
Not Full of Politics: +1
Characters are Multifaceted: +1
Story is Believable: +1
No Unnecessary Violence: +1
Unjustified Running Time (155min): -1
Continually Robbed of Action Thrill: -1
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
I know I reviewd this, but I just want to say. It is only -just- as good the second time around. Sometime with good movies you notice somehting compelling the second time around. I however did not. Not this time, not with this movie.